NDA carries ahead taking regional aspirations, national progress: PM Modi in Andhra Pradesh

Palnadu (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 17 : Asserting that the Nationalist Democratic Alliance (NDA) is moving ahead taking regional aspirations and national progress and during its third term after the polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people of Andhra Pradesh to cast vote in favour of the alliance to ensure speedy development of the state.
PM Modi, while addressing a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) election meeting at Boppudi village in Palnadu district in the presence of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party (JSP) Pawan Kalyan, hit out at the Congress, accusing it of "using and throwing the people of the alliance" in contrast to the BJP.
"NDA alliance moves ahead carrying both regional aspiration and national progress. The support of the BJP in this election, and our partners are continuously increasing, the strength of NDA is increasing, and both Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan have been supporting the rights of the people here, for a long time. In NDA we take everyone along, but on the other hand, there is the Congress party which has only one agenda - to use and throw the people of the alliance. Today Congress may have formed an INDI alliance, but their thinking remains the same," PM Modi said.
Asserting that the NDA's aim is for 'Viksit Bharat' and to build 'Viksit Andhra Pradesh', he said a double-engine NDA government in Andhra Pradesh will ensure speedy development of the state.
"We have been working for you day and night, for the development of Andhra Pradesh. NDA aims to build a developed Andhra Pradesh for developed India... You have to make NDA MPs and MLAs win. All NDA MPs and MLAs will work for you with great effort, this is Modi's guarantee," the PM said," he added.
Coming down heavily on the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), the PM said that the people of Andhra Pradesh are feeling "betrayed" by the state government.
"Never think that Jagan's party and Congress are two different parties. Both of them are the same..."The people of Andhra Pradesh are moving forward with two resolves. They have decided they will bring back the NDA government in the centre. The people are angry with the state government and want to remove them. The ministers of the state are competing in corruption here. The people of Andhra Pradesh are feeling betrayed by the state government," he added.
Accusing the Congress Party of insulting the former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh NT Rama Rao, the PM also said that it is his government that has always respected the pride of Andhra Pradesh.
"I remember how on the day of the inauguration of Ram temple, the entire state celebrated Lord Ram's returning home. Telugu people can never forget NTR. How he enlivened the roles of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. He had fought for the rights of farmers and the poor all his life and because of this, he had to endure the atrocities of the Congress. Congress has always insulted the pride of Andhra Pradesh. It is our government that has always respected the pride of Andhra Pradesh. I do not want to discuss how Congress had insulted him (NTR). But BJP and NDA always respect leaders dedicated to the country by rising above the party line," he added.
Notably, the BJP has formed an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) for the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.
PM Modi further reiterated the NDA's goal to cross 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.
"See this coincidence, this time the results of the elections are going to be declared on 4th June. The whole country is saying, '400 paar'. '400 paar' for developed India, '400 paar' for Andhra Pradesh'..." he said.
PM Modi addressed the NDA rally 'Prajagalam' with the TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan for the first time in Palnadu district.
'Prajagalam', which translates to 'voice of the public', is the first joint public meeting of NDA partners in Andhra in the past ten years.
Jana Sena is contesting the general elections in alliance with the BJP and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh. As per the seat-sharing agreement, the BJP will contest six Lok Sabha seats and 10 assembly seats, while the TDP will contest 17 seats and 144 assembly seats. Janasena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 assembly seats.
The Election Commission of India on Saturday announced the dates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections nationwide.
According to the EC's announcement, Andhra Pradesh will hold elections for its 25 constituencies on May 13th. The coastal state's elections will take place in just one phase.
A total of 96.8 crore voters will be eligible to cast their vote in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The rally was briefly interrupted after a group of people climbed atop a light tower to listen to their leaders.
Modi, however, noticed people climbing the structure on which lights were fixed and immediately interrupted Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan, who was addressing the gathering, to urge them to come down.
"There are electric wires. What are you doing there? Your life is precious to us. Please come down. Media persons have taken your photographs. Now come down. Police personnel deployed here, please take care of people. It would be painful for us if something happened wrong," PM Modi said while urging the group to come down for safety.
PM Modi then sat back in his seat, and the Jana Sena chief went on to complete his speech.
Pawan Kalyan praised PM Modi for his visit to the state of Andhra Pradesh, drawing a parallel between Modi's arrival and the mythological tale of King Bhagiratha bringing the River Ganga to Earth for his ancestors' salvation.
"PM Narendra Modi's arrival in Andhra Pradesh resembles how Bhagiratha brought Ganga to Earth. Modi has come here to support us and save us from undemocratic rule," Pawan Kalyan said while addressing the rally.
"In 2014, with the blessings of Tirumala Sri Venkateswara, the NDA saw victory. In 2024, with the blessings of Vijayawada's goddess Kanaka Durga Devi, the NDA will form the government. Under PM Modi's leadership, the country is growing. Modi has introduced digital payments. However, YSRCP is not interested in digital payments," he added.
Naidu on Sunday exuded confidence that the NDA will form the government in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and said that only the flags of the BJP-TDP-JSP alliance are different, not the agenda.
"I'm happy to see the public gathered before the stage. The NDA will form the government in the upcoming 2024 polls. For the last five years, anarchy has ruled the state. We will take care of the growth and development of the state, and we appeal to the public to vote for the TDP, BJP, and Jana Sena alliance. PM Modi is the 'Viswaguru' of Bharat. Our flags are different, but our agenda is not," Naidu said.